Swiss Meringue Buttercream

120g / Granulated sugar
5 / Egg whites
454g / Butter, chilled and cut into cubes
3 tbsp / Water
1 tsp / Vanilla extract
Flavours/colour (optional)

Fill in 1/2 inch of water into saucepan. Bring it to boil.

In mixing bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and water. Then bring the mixing bowl over the saucepan (double boiling) and whisk the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Insert an instant thermometer to the mixture. Once the temperature reaches 65°C, remove the bowl from heat.

Using whisk attachment at medium high speed, whisk the mixture until medium peak and cool to the touch. Scrape the sides if necessary.

Change to paddle attachment and change to medium speed. Add butter 1 tbsp at a time. Ensure that the butter is incorporated with mixture before adding another 1 tbsp. Scrape the sides if necessary.

Add vanilla and whisk. Finally add flavour/colour if using, and whisk again for 1-2 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy
Boyle, Tish. "Swiss Meringue Buttercream." The Cake Book. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, 2006. Print.

Nutella Pods

380g / All-purpose flour

250g / Butter

220g / Caster sugar

1 / Large egg

1 tsp / Bicarbonate soda

½ tsp / Baking powder

50g / Almond powder

1 tsp / Vanilla essence

Combine flour, almond powder, bicarbonate soda and baking powder. Sift together and set aside.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Then, add the egg and continue to beat until combined. Next, add vanilla essence and continue to beat until well incorporated.

Add dry ingredient. Mix well until it formed soft dough. The soft dough will not stick to the hands. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into small, equal-sized round balls and place them in a small muffin pan. Press gently the dough gently so that it levels with the muffin pan.

Bake in the preheated oven of 170°C for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 1 minute. Using small rolling pin, press gently in the centre of the pre-baked dough.

Bake again for another 5 minutes to make them crisp. Remove from the oven and let the pods cool. When the pods are completely cool, add ½-1 tsp of nutella.

Refrigerate the pods to let them set. 

Note: This recipe was tested by my friend and her family loves it.

Recipe Courtesy:

SinaranMenu: Nutella Pods. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from http://sinaranmenu.blogspot.sg/2014/09/nutella-pods.html

Jemput-jemput Udang

400g-500g / Plain flour
500g / Medium-sized prawns, deshelled & diced
5 / Chillies, deseeded & slice
1 / Onion, diced
2 / Eggs
Salt to taste
Water
Oil for frying

1) In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredient except salt. Mix well. The batter should not be too watery. Add salt to taste.

2) Heat oil. Using tablespoon, scoop the batter and fry till golden brown.

Rainbow Cake

2¼ cups Cake Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1¼ cups Buttermilk
4 Large Egg Whites
1½ cups Sugar
113g Unsalted Butter
½ tsp Vanilla Extract *
Gel/Powder Food Colouring (I used 1/4 tsp of Wilton gel)

1) Preheat oven to 190°C. Grease & lined 2 baking pans.

2) Sift together flour, baking powder & salt.

3) Whisk together egg whites & buttermilk.
4) Cream butter & sugar until very light & fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract, then add ⅓ of flour mixture, on medium speed.
5) Beat ½ egg-buttermilk mixture, then ½ flour mixture. Then add the balance egg-buttermilk mixture followed by the remaining flour mixture. Beat the entire batter on medium high until completely smooth & mixed.
6) Divide the batter into 2 (depending on the size of baking pans used). Add colour gel & mixed well. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the toothpick comes clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.
7) Let the cake cool in the pan before turn it out on cooling rack. To ensure moistness, wrap & chill it immediately once the cake is cooled.

* Original recipe uses lemon zest & lemon extract which are not my family's favourite.

 

Recipe courtesy of Rima of Bisous A Toi

Salted Caramel Brownies

Salted Caramel Sauce
180g Caster Sugar
⅔ cup Heavy Cream
85g Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Sea Salt

Using heavy-based saucepan & medium heat, melt the sugar. Whisk the sugar when it starts to melt. Once melted, add butter & salt. Whisk again till it turns brownish. Remove from fire, add heavy cream. Continue whisk till sauce is smooth.

Brownies
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
180g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
113g Unsalted Butter
200g Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
½ tsp Sea Salt
3 tbsp Cocoa Powder, sifted
100g Almond, chopped & toasted (optional)

 

1) Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking pan with greaseproof paper overhanging.

2) Using double-boiling, melt chocolate chips & butter. After melted, add cocoa powder & combine well.
3) Using medium mixing bowl, handwhisk eggs, sugar, salt & vanilla extract. Then, add melted chocolate. Whisk again. Add flour & chopped almonds. Mix until well.combined.
4) Pour ½ of the brownie batter. Add dollops of caramel sauce. Pour the balance of the batter. Add dollops of caramel sauce. Swirl lightly.
5) Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Recipe adapted from The Little Teochew

Pretzel

1 cup Milk, warm
1 sachet (11g) Yeast
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Butter, melted
3-4 tbsp Brown sugar

⅓ cups Baking powder
3 cups Water, warm
Coarse salt
Melted butter

1) Mix warm milk and yeast together. Let it rest for 3 minutes.

2) Using stand mixer with hook attachment, mix milk mixture, butter and sugar together. Add flour and salt. Let it knead for 10 minutes.
3) Place the dough into a greased mixing bowl. Cover with clingwrap. Let it rest for 1 hour until the dough double in size.
4) After 1 hour and dough already doubled in size, remove the clingwrap. Punch out the dough to let the air out. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion and shaped like a preztel.
5) Mix the baking powder with water. Dip the preztel into the baking powder solution and place it on a prepared baking tray. Bake the pretzels for 7-10 minutes in a preheated oven of 200°C.
6) Dip the baked pretzels into the melted butter. Ready to eat.

Egg Tarts

Tart Shells

170g Butter, softened
50g Icing sugar
290g Plain flour
1 Egg, small
1 tsp Vanilla essence

 

1) Whisk the butter and icing sugar until incorporated.
2) Add egg and vanilla essence. Mix well.
3) Add flour a little at a time, until a soft dough is formed. Using clingwrap, wrap the dough and let it rest for at least 1 hour (let it rest overnight for better result).

Egg Custard

4 Eggs
1 cup Evaporated milk
1 cup Water
3/4 cups Sugar
1 tbsp Custard powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

1) Hand whisk eggs and sugar together until well combined.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk again until incorporated.

3) To assemble, press the dough into the tart moulds. Use fork/toothpick stick to prick holes at the base of the dough. Pour the egg custard mixture into the mould. Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.

Tart shell recipe is courtesy of Sofiah Afandi. 

Egg custard recipe is courtesy of Rima from Bisous A Toi.